Topics in Category: Public awareness raising - SuSanA Forumhttps://forum.susana.org
Tue, 22 Jan 2019 01:49:57 +0100Joomla! - Open Source Content Management/media/kunena/images/icons/rss.pngTopics in Category: Public awareness raising - SuSanA Forumen-gbPlease join the Honour Our Cleaners Campaign! - by: Carol McCrearyhttps://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22951-please-join-the-honour-our-cleaners-campaign#26831
https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22951-please-join-the-honour-our-cleaners-campaign#26831
Here's an update and some thoughts on the Honour Our Cleaners campaign. This very promising initiative was concieved by the World Toilet Organization and supported by SuSanA,. It launched quietly on World Toilet Day 2018 as a local initiative several places in the world.

I am not sure that WTD is the optimal date for the campaign as so many organizations in the sanitation sector are so busy with activities linked to their core mission. So I have been wondering how the campaign might be truly effective
How about choosing a better date? Since cleaning requires water, World Water Day at the end of March might be a good time for SuSanA partners to honour the cleaners who make facilities usable.What about an ongoing campaign? This would mean marketing the concept of honoring these workers who are a difference: develop slogans, design visuals to be posted in restrooms, create small pins, cards, stickers, or other tokens of gratitude that toilet users give their cleaners.Would cleaning organizations be willing to support the campaign? It would bring attention to their employees.How can we promote restroom cleaning and demonstrate its vital importance in the minds of users? The only good toilets are clean ones but the cost of quality cleaning can be high.Where can we find cleaning resources? How can services be provided efficiantly and cost effectively.

CSI Cleaning Service'a video on the fastest/right way to clean a public restroom in under 8 minutes

CINTAS is a large corporation that cleans restrooms on business premises and sponsors the Best Restroom Awards in the
US
and
Canada
.
ManageMen
is a private US company that provides training to cleaning organizations and run a Janitor University for individuals. Training includes but is not limited to toilets.
Their website offers Case study videos on various cleaning challenges; many features facilities managers for large organizations such as universities. Recent blog posts include.

Five Easy Ways to Attract More Millennials to the Cleaning Industry
managemen.com/five-easy-ways-to-attract-...e-cleaning-industry/
ManageMen has an
Online Store
. with a wide variety of cleaning industry training and management support materials. How to be a Restroom Specialist DVD, Restroom Specialist's tray labels; Simplified and user friendly job descriptions; Microbiology for Cleaning Workers, and Team Checklist Log Book, and 5 Their Visually Instructive Workplace "How To" Brochures are appropriate for cleaners who are recent immigrants who speak a variety of languages.

I look forward to hearing the views of other SuSanA members on the issue of cleaning.

Carol]]>Public awareness raisingThu, 17 Jan 2019 20:22:49 +0100When Nature calls, take action! What do you do on UN World Toilet Day? - by: sterennphilippehttps://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/213-world-toilet-day-world-water-day-and-other-special-days/22957-when-nature-calls-take-action-what-do-you-do-on-un-world-toilet-day#26595
https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/213-world-toilet-day-world-water-day-and-other-special-days/22957-when-nature-calls-take-action-what-do-you-do-on-un-world-toilet-day#26595
You can muck around with it here:
www.cawst.org/worldtoiletday#/
]]>World Toilet Day, World Water Day and other special daysTue, 27 Nov 2018 20:55:20 +0100World Toilet Day 2018 - GTO organised a demonstration with pupils in Berlin - by: bealahttps://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/213-world-toilet-day-world-water-day-and-other-special-days/22976-world-toilet-day-2018-gto-organised-a-demonstration-with-pupils-in-berlin#26587
https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/213-world-toilet-day-world-water-day-and-other-special-days/22976-world-toilet-day-2018-gto-organised-a-demonstration-with-pupils-in-berlin#26587
On the occasion of World Toilet Day 2018, GTO produced a short film on this event. Please find below the link to the film. German and English subtitles are available.

Best,
Bea (on behalf of the GTO team)]]>World Toilet Day, World Water Day and other special daysMon, 26 Nov 2018 12:42:01 +0100Water Currents issue for World Toilet Day 2018 - by: campbelldbhttps://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/213-world-toilet-day-world-water-day-and-other-special-days/22954-water-currents-issue-for-world-toilet-day-2018#26462
https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/213-world-toilet-day-world-water-day-and-other-special-days/22954-water-currents-issue-for-world-toilet-day-2018#26462
Below is an excerpt from the Water Currents issue for World Toilet Day 2018 and here is the link to the
complete issue
.

EventsWorld Toilet Day 2018 – The official WTD 2018 site includes a factsheet, posters, a WASH guide, an event listing, stories, and other materials. It also includes information on the 2018 theme, nature-based solutions (NBS) to the sanitation and water crisis.

Toilet Board Coalition Virtual World Toilet Week, November 19-21, 2018 – This virtual summit focuses on the latest business solutions addressing the global sanitation crisis and the many opportunities within the sanitation economy. The summit consists of virtual panels with speakers from a variety of organizations.

Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC) World Toilet Day Champion Challenge – WSSCC is organizing a photo contest called the “World Toilet Day Champion Challenge,” to showcase the diverse and meaningful work that WSSCC members are doing to engage their communities and raise awareness on sanitation-related issues.

Sustainable Management and Successful Application of Constructed Wetlands: A Critical Review. Sustainability, October 2018. Constructed wetlands are affordable and reliable green technologies for the treatment of various types of wastewater. This study collects and presents results of more than 120 case studies from around the world, providing a tool for researchers and decision-makers interested in using constructed wetlands to treat wastewater in a particular area.]]>World Toilet Day, World Water Day and other special daysTue, 13 Nov 2018 18:21:28 +0100Toilet Revolution published in China - by: scottchenhttps://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22789-toilet-revolution-published-in-china?start=12#26400
https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22789-toilet-revolution-published-in-china?start=12#26400
Thank you very much for comments on this post.

I have read the article wrote by you, Zhang Jian, Zifu lee and Cheng shikun.... it is a good essay but a mistake about who invented the term, toilet revolution, in China.

FIY. Professor Zhu Jia Ming wrote a book , China needs a Toilet Revolution, in 1988. You can not imagine that Professor Zhu even installed one Clivus Multrum toilet, in a garden in Beijing during 1986-1987.

best wishes

Scott

]]>Public awareness raisingMon, 05 Nov 2018 02:35:10 +0100Concerned with increased open defecation in Western Zambia (Maboshe Memorial Centre) - by: Maboshehttps://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22818-concerned-with-increased-open-defecation-in-western-zambia-maboshe-memorial-centre#26358
https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22818-concerned-with-increased-open-defecation-in-western-zambia-maboshe-memorial-centre#26358
FIRSTLY, Maunyamo “Habrour” is not connected to sewer system. The Western Water and Sewerage Company are more interested in cost recovery rather than giving access to all people. This has resulted into the majority of the residents to use open defecation or shallow pit latrines which puts them at higher risk of contracting diarrhea. Largely, diarrhea, typhoid, and trachoma is as a result of poor sanitation. This means human waste find its way in food or water that people drink due to poor sanitation, (WHO, 1987). This is inclusive of human waste which has to be disposed of properly in a hygienic manner.

SECONDLY, the persistence of diarrhea in Maunyamo “Habrour” is due to low coverage of piped water supply. The majority of the residents depend mostly on water from the river or shallow wells. This means that the majority of people have no access to clean water, hence the outbreaks of diarrhea, typhoid, and trachoma every rainy season in Maunyamo “Habrour”.

THIRDLY, Poor habits such as not washing their hands after using the toilet, not covering food for storage and eating cold food staff are ways which cholera can spread at a fast rate. The diarrhea, typhoid, and trachoma outbreak problem can be resolved through health education and health promotion programs on good health hygiene programmes.

FOURTHLY, Drainage system is another factor that makes diarrhea outbreak to be endemic in Maunyamo “Habrour”. Examples drainage system are used for their calls of nature, this environment problem can be sorted out by providing pit latrines or toilets. Part of the solution can be also traced from a program that was introduced by UNICEF, in 2002 known as Total Sanitation Program (TSP) led by the community members themselves aimed at addressing poor sanitation in rural areas.

FIFTHLY, reason why Maunyamo “Habrour” is endemic to diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, and trachoma is that most people are poor. They cannot afford to buy basics of hygiene such as water filters, medicated soaps or treat drinking water with chlorine. Personal hygiene such as keeping the surrounding clean, keeping food covered or heating up food before consumption becomes a problem. This problem can be overcome by health promotion on safe disposal of urine and waste and also emphasizing the importance of clean toilets, food hygiene and their implications.

Many of the western province population live in rural areas where residents rely on open-pit latrines for sanitation purposes. As a result endemic and intestinal diseases are rampant in rural areas where medical facilities can’t be procured easily.

The reasons that have been given for people who don’t use toilets have either been poverty that makes it a challenge to build latrines or lack of government support in providing such facilities. In cases where the toilets are available but people still end up preferring opened defecation, the reasons can extend to cultural issues related with sharing toilets among family members.

THE EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTH IN PRACTICING OPEN DEFECATION ARE: -

WATER BORNE DISEASES: - Diarrhoea, typhoid, trachoma and other problems associated with the ingesting and exposure to human waste affect children under the age of 5 years the most since they are very susceptible to diseases. This exposure is because most of open defecation happens next to water ways and rivers, this include the drainage systems that are usually meant to traffic rain water away from urban areas into natural water ways.
Such areas are often preferred because open defecators have a belief that the water washes away their waste. What they seem to forget is that most of such areas are not properly empowered to treat the water to remove human waste and the microbes that move with it. Such a practice is contrary to proper sewage channels that treats waste black water and channel it into water systems free of any disease causing germs afterwards.

Therefore, the result of open defecation near water ways is that it is carried into the water system minus treatment. As a consequence, the contaminated water ends up in the main water source. When people in these regions use the water as it for drinking and cooking (since the water is not boiled most of the time because of poverty and lack of education) it results in water borne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, and trachoma.

VECTOR BORNE DISEASES: - Apart from water borne diseases, when the human waste collects into heaps, it attracts flies and other insects. These flies then travel around the surrounding areas, carrying defecate matter and disease causing microbes, where they then land on food and drink that people go ahead and ingest unknowingly. In such cases, the flies act as direct transmitters of diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, and trachoma.

COMPOUNDING THE PROBLEM OF DISEASE EXPOSURE: - The saddest fact about disease transmission caused by open defecation is the cyclic nature of problems that then begin to manifest. The most common diseases caused by this unsanitary act are increased cases of diarrhea, typhoid, trachoma, regular stomach upsets and poor overall health. With diarrhoea, for instance, it means that people cannot make their way to distant places due to the urgency of their calls of nature, so they pass waste close to where they have their bowel attacks.

It simply ends up creating more of the same problems that started the disease in the first place and in turn, leads to more people catching diseases and less people using the facilities. The result of this is more sick people and more opportunities for the disease to spread.

MALNUTRITION IN CHILDREN: - Malnutrition in children is another health problem associated with open defecation. Once a child is a victim of one of the diseases passed on due to the lack of proper sanitation and hygiene, they begin to lose a lot of fluids and lack of appetite for food. As a result, it gives rise to many cases of malnutrition in children.

Also, the situation is worsened by intestinal worm attacks passed through the human refuse. Altogether, these problems lead to stunted growth and weakened immune system that makes the child more susceptible to other diseases such as pneumonia and tuberculosis.

THE EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT IN PRACTICING OPEN DEFECATION ARE: -

CONTAMINATION VIA MICROBES: - The environment also suffers as a result of open defecation because it introduces toxins and bacteria into the ecosystem in amounts that it cannot handle or break down at a time. This leads to build up of filth. Also, the load of microbes can become so great that in the end, they end up in aquatic systems thereby causing harm to aquatic life.

At the same time, it can contribute to eutrophication or the formation of algal blooms that form disgusting scum on the surface of the water ways which disturb aquatic life underneath the water by preventing oxygen and light diffusion into the water.

VISUAL AND OLFACTORY POLLUTION: - Heaps of human or just the sight of it cause eyesore and nauseate anyone who is close. The stink emanating from the refuse is also highly unappealing and pollutes the surrounding air. Such places also attract large swarms that make the area completely unattractive for the eye.

For all those unfortunate to see the district affected, it creates a sorry sight and reduces the dignity of all those living in the squalor of the district. The smells augment the problem by disgusting those who live within the affected district making life awful.

The solutions of open defecation are, to solve this issue; it takes the action of individuals and even the intervention of the government to address the cultural, economic and social challenges.

PROVISION OF TOILETS: - First, there is a need to ensure that there are enough toilets. Since the province is very poor, it will take the efforts of the government as well as the good will of local organizations such as Maboshe Memorial Centre (MMC), other CBOs and NGOs to help fix the problem. Construction of pit latrines and other toilet options such as compost toilets is necessary to help deal with the problem of lacking sewer systems. Governments should also try to establish incentives for people to build their own toilets by providing subsidies and putting up public toilets in strategic locations.

CORRECTIVE CIVIL EDUCATION: - Another platform that needs to be addressed is the negative cultural association that people have with toilets. The people should be informed and given civic education to enable them break away from their cultural beliefs on issues such as the fact that toilets are not supposed to be shared.
In other words, cultural norms and beliefs must be changed over time through education and awareness creation. With time, people can become informed and drop the beliefs or at least adjust and make concessions about the ones that are most destructive.

INCENTIVIZE PUBLIC HYGIENE PARTICIPATION: - By creating government programs that encourage sanitation and personal hygiene, individuals must be involved and forced to take up the responsibility of enhancing their hygiene as well as overall health.

Through such programs, people can get to learn the importance of their environments and work towards ensuring that they do not harm themselves by partaking in open defecation. It eventually reduces healthcare burdens on the government and lessens the number of those who practice open defecation as it will be seen as a terrible activity.

This is clear that with such floods of every year in the Barotse plains, those who draw water from shallow wells will definitely be affected by cholera as well.

Maboshe Memorial Centre (MMC) feels that we have to break the silence and build awareness about the fundamental role that ending open defecation plays in enabling people to reach their full potential in living a health life by promoting hygiene.

Therefore, ending open defecation is top on the agenda for the Maboshe Memorial Centre (MMC) that is why the Maboshe Memorial Centre (MMC) team wishes to extend its invitation to interested donor partners and persons to take part in ending open defecation program a success by way of partnering, donations and contributions.

A consumer research conducted by the World Bank group in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh shows perceived benefits of open defecation among populations as key driving factor of the problem. These include an opportunity to get fresh air, a walk or physical exercise, open defecation works well in farms, and a chance to socialise with people in the village. The notion of ‘fresh air’ as a driver for open defecation seems to have been derived from negative toilet use’ experiences among people. The negative experiences range from bad smell in the toilets, lack of fresh air, feeling of suffocation, and requirement of maintenance. However, majority of these experiences arise due to lack of regular maintenance of toilets. Therefore, it is important to focus on behaviour change to dispel these myths and misconceptions.

Short description of the project

A ten-part short radio drama series was produced for the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MoDWS), with an objective of debunking myths, and misconceptions related to rural sanitation. The radio drama series is named after the main character, “Shaucha Singh” or the cleanliness champ, a travelling salesman who sells household cleaning products to potential customers on buses and trains. On his travels, he comes across several myths and barriers rural populations have, in building, using and maintaining their household toilets. He then tackles each of these myths/ barriers in a non-confrontational, entertaining and insightful way.

The series touches key issues surrounding sanitation – gender, toilet technology, schemes and services, health, convenience, and even social norms. Some of the myths that these capsules address are that healthy men do not use toilets, pit size is too small for an entire family to consistently use it, toilet is only for the rich, or that a toilet requires too much space or water.

Target Audience

The primary audience for the radio series is rural men in the age group of 15-35 years who defecate in the open; those who chose not to construct a toilet as well as those who built a toilet but primarily for women, weak, elderly or sick members of the family because they believe healthy men can, and should, defecate in the open.

Implementation and disseminationSince behaviour change is at the core of the mission, BBC Media Action supported the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation with scientific high-frequency media planning to secure broadcast slots covering 26 states. The series was launched on November 19, 2017 i.e. World Toilet Day on more than 273 channels on All India Radio (AIR) – India's public service broadcaster. Further, in January 2018, the ministry approved broadcast of the series on 109 private FM channels, and 54 community radio stations in north India.

Initially the series was produced in Hindi, but based on requests from states, the ministry requested BBC Media Action to translate the series in nine Indian languages – Assamese, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, English, Bengali and Odiya. This has expanded the reach of the radio series to cover not just the Hindi speaking states in North India, but also 17 additional non-Hindi speaking states across India.

Biggest successes so farThe short radio drama series is also a first of its kind fast-fiction radio series on sanitation which is quirky, humorous and persuasive.

The series is based on evidence gathered from one of the lowest-performing states in the area of sanitation, therefore making it close to the reality. A senior MoDWS official said that ‘this series is, by far, the closest to what the real people actually feel, rather than what practitioners believe people feel’.

The ministry also released the radio series on its social media channels i.e. YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Mr Param Iyer, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) shared information about each radio interstitial on his Twitter handle.

The ministry also promoted the series through its WhatsApp groups, and network of district level sanitation workers. Full page advertisements on rural sanitation released by the ministry contained information on Shaucha Singh radio series. Several media articles have been published on the series. One such article published by NDTV, a leading news group in India can be accessed here: To Bust Prevalent Myths on Sanitation and Toilet Use, Salesman Shaucha Singh Is Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’s Newest Hero:
swachhindia.ndtv.com/to-bust-prevalent-m...s-newest-hero-15113/

Next Steps

BBC Media Action is planning to conduct an evaluation study to understand the effectiveness of the Shaucha Singh radio series using mixed-methods quasi experimental design. An evaluation will be important to demonstrate the programme impact, improve future and current programme design, implementation, and generate learnings for wider dissemination.

For some more details about this project, see here:

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Greetings,
Elisabeth]]>Public awareness raisingThu, 21 Jun 2018 06:28:32 +0200Join the Global Campaign for World Environment Day Celebration June 2018 - by: icenecdev2006https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/213-world-toilet-day-world-water-day-and-other-special-days/22555-join-the-global-campaign-for-world-environment-day-celebration-june-2018#25304
https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/213-world-toilet-day-world-water-day-and-other-special-days/22555-join-the-global-campaign-for-world-environment-day-celebration-june-2018#25304
ICENECDEV present at the United Nations in Nairobi ,Kenya for the First Ad Hoc Open Ended Expert Meeting on Marine Litter and Micro plastics organized by the United Nations Environment programme(UN Environment) between the 29th May to 31st May 2018.
ICENECDEV position paper draws contributions from on our project to Combat Marine Plastic Litter and Micro Plastic along the West Coast of Cameroon
During the 3rd United Nations Environment Assembly(UNEA3) of the United Nations Environment programme in December 2017. Member states of the UN Environment on the resolution on Marine Litter and Micro plastics agreed to organize 2 Ad Hoc Expert Meetings on Marine Litter and Micro plastics to tackle plastic pollution which will ultimately culminate to the resolution on marine plastic litter and micro plastics in the upcoming fourth United Nations Environment Assembly(UNEA4) of the United Nations Environment programme in March 2019.
#BeatPlasticPollution
#ICENECDEV
#WorldEnvironmentDay
@UNenvironment]]>World Toilet Day, World Water Day and other special daysTue, 05 Jun 2018 10:29:54 +0200SuSanA featured on SHHH: The Poopcast - by: ThePuruhttps://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22366-susana-featured-on-shhh-the-poopcast#25216
https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22366-susana-featured-on-shhh-the-poopcast#25216
Thanks so much for listening, and for writing! To your questions...

It's hard to say whether there might be a better format; I don't get a lot of feedback from followers, though mostly it comes through email or in person. I would love to get more, and be able to generate more public conversations, like on social media. The podcast with Esther has been downloaded 62 times so far, but podcasts are "evergreen" content that's not so time-based. People will continue to download it over the coming months, maybe just 2-3 times. If Esther or her work hits the news, or someone with a big following shares it out, there could be a wave of downloads later.

I am interested in doing shorter episodes, though an hour is a good length for many people/activities. Almost all the SHHH podcasts are edited down somewhat. There may be more that could be cut out. I'm so interested in the conversation, I might not be the best arbiter! I have thought about doing a shorter daily or weekly show that is more topical...the biggest labor is the editing, however, which increases exponentially with more episodes. So no plans to change in the immediate future, but I'm open to suggestions, partnerships, etc.

Let me know if there are any other questions I can help with Wishing you all the best!

It's basically just a fancy overarching term for a range of systems, e.g. constructed wetlands and green roofs.

The lead (or summary) currently reads like this:

Nature-based solutions (NBS or NbS) refers to the sustainable management and use of nature for tackling environmental and societal challenges. The challenges include issues such as climate change, water security, water pollution, food security, human health, and disaster risk management.

A definition by the European Union states that these solutions are "inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more, and more diverse, nature and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions".[1] With NBS, healthy, resilient and diverse ecosystems (whether natural, managed or newly created) are supposed to provide solutions for the benefit of our societies and overall biodiversity.

For instance, the restoration or protection of mangroves along coastlines can reduce exposure to the effects of extreme weather conditions, while providing nurseries for marine life that local populations may depend on for food sources, and sequestering CO2. Additionally, the mangrove forests can help control coastal erosion resulting from sea level rise and poorly planned development along the foreshore. Similarly green roofs or walls can be used to regulate high temperatures during summer, capture storm water, abate pollution, and act as carbon sinks, while enhancing biodiversity and connecting the city with the wider ecosystem.

The application of conservation approaches and implementation of environment management initiatives have already been carried out for decades. What is new is that the benefits of such actions to human wellbeing have been articulated for the first time through NBS. Therefore, as the term itself is still being framed [2], examples from many parts of the world can already be drawn upon. These examples demonstrate the added value with respect to existing terms and concepts and in complementing traditional conservation approaches. As a consequence, NBS are on their way to being mainstreamed in national and international policies and programmes (e.g. climate change policy, law, infrastructure investment and financing mechanisms).[citation needed] For example, the theme for World Water Day 2018 was "Nature for water" and by UN-Water's accompanying UN World Water Development Report had the title "Nature-based Solutions for Water".[3]

Comments welcome.

Elisabeth]]>World Toilet Day, World Water Day and other special daysWed, 09 May 2018 06:34:39 +0200Did you know?: World Hand Hygiene Day is on 5 May (I didn't know) - by: muenchhttps://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/213-world-toilet-day-world-water-day-and-other-special-days/22481-did-you-know-world-hand-hygiene-day-is-on-5-may-i-didn-t-know#24996
https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/213-world-toilet-day-world-water-day-and-other-special-days/22481-did-you-know-world-hand-hygiene-day-is-on-5-may-i-didn-t-know#24996World Hand Hygiene Day with the hashtag: #handhygiene. I didn't know about that - is it fairly new?
See here:
www.who.int/infection-prevention/campaig...n-hands/5may2018/en/

Health care-associated infections, infections acquired during health care delivery, are common and are a risk factor for developing sepsis but we can prevent this. Effective hand hygiene plays a key role. On world hand hygiene day (5 May), the focus for everyone should be on prevention of sepsis in health care.

It's interesting that we have a World Hand Hygiene Day on 5 May and a Global Handwashing Day on 15 October (same topic, two different days?). For Global Handwashing Day we have a good Wikipedia article here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Handwashing_Day

If anyone can tell me more about World Hand Hygiene Day (e.g. how long has it been around for? Is it an official UN day?) I would be all ears. Actually it is not in this list:
www.un.org/en/sections/observances/international-days/
So perhaps it is just a day celebrated by WHO but not be the UN.

Regards,
Elisabeth]]>World Toilet Day, World Water Day and other special daysFri, 04 May 2018 03:36:16 +0200WaterAid Report: Out of Order - The State of the World’s Toilets 2017 - by: F H Mughalhttps://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22330-wateraid-report-out-of-order-the-state-of-the-world-s-toilets-2017#24537
https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22330-wateraid-report-out-of-order-the-state-of-the-world-s-toilets-2017#24537Out of Order - The State of the World’s Toilets 2017

WaterAid recently (Nov 2017) has produced a very absorbing and stimulating short (28pp) report, titled: Out of Order - The State of the World’s Toilets 2017. Typically, when a report has a title that starts with “The State of the . . .,” it is assumed that it would a large report. But, this is a short interesting report.

“It is easy to take a toilet for granted – lock the door, do your business, flush when finished, and forget all about it. But for 2.3 billion people worldwide – almost one in three – such a normal part of daily life is out of reach.”

How true! Come to think of it. We use toilets a number of times a day, and just take it for granted.

Stressing on the importance of decent toilets and clean water, the report says: “A lack of decent toilets and clean water causes diarrhoeal diseases that, on average, claim the lives of almost 800 children every day – one every two minutes.”

Was the term “basic sanitation” coined by Unicef and WHO (JPM)? The report says so.

The report gives forceful facts. It says:

Today, almost one in three women and girls do not have a decent toilet of their own.

39% have access to a ‘safely managed’ sanitation service. This means 2.9 billion people use a hygienic household toilet where human waste is treated and safely disposed of.

29% have access to ‘basic’ sanitation. This means 2.2 billion people have a hygienic household toilet, such as a pour-flush latrine, but the waste ends up flowing into rivers or is emptied untreated in the environment putting communities at risk of disease.

8% have access to ‘limited’ sanitation. This means 600 million people have a toilet that is similar to a basic service, but shared between several households.

12% use an ‘unimproved’ toilet. This means 881 million people use a toilet that does not hygienically separate human waste from human contact, such as a latrine over an open pit or water.

12% practice ‘open defecation’. This means 892 million people relieve themselves in open fields, near railway tracks, or in secluded areas.

The WaterAid report, though short, is full of interesting facts. It constitutes a very useful, handy, handbook.

F H Mughal]]>Public awareness raisingSat, 24 Mar 2018 17:34:07 +0100Life without toilets - the photographer tackling a global taboo (The Guardian) - by: secretariathttps://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22307-life-without-toilets-the-photographer-tackling-a-global-taboo-the-guardian#24494
https://forum.susana.org/forum/categories/162-public-awareness-raising/22307-life-without-toilets-the-photographer-tackling-a-global-taboo-the-guardian#24494
Here is an interesting article on Life without Toilets from The Guardian, written by Peter Beaumont. The photographers, Andrea Bruce, succesfully captured the deeply sensitive issue of open defecation, which affects 1.1 billion of the world’s poorest people from India, Haiti and Vietnam.

Life without toilets: the photographer tackling a global taboo

One of the biggest issues at the intersection of sanitation, poverty and global health, open defecation has also long been one of the hardest to represent visually.

For photographer Andrea Bruce, however, the challenge meant she did not have to think too long before agreeing to the year-long project documenting an issue both deeply sensitive and hugely important. The resulting photo essay, commissioned by National Geographic, has been selected for a first prize in the prestigious Pictures of the Year awards.

The US photographer, who has covered wars, and depicted the lives of sex workers in Baghdad after the US invasion in 2003, recalls: “To be honest, when they approached me and said, ‘We want you to do a story on open defecation,’ a million things went through my head.”

Bruce’s images – taken in India, Haiti and Vietnam – tell a compelling and dignified story about a global problem affecting 1.1 billion of the world’s poorest people.

Among that total, according to Unicef, are 524 million people in India – almost half the country’s population – where lack of sanitation is estimated to be responsible for more than a million deaths of children under the age of five from diarrhoea every year.

“The more I researched it,” says Bruce, “the more I realised how large a proportion of the world’s population is living in sewage and without clean water. More people die of health problems related to sanitation issues every day than do of malaria, HIV and the top five diseases combined.”

Although she says she “does not set herself boundaries” in advance when working on a photographic project, Bruce decided she would go with what her subjects found “acceptable”. She chose as the subject of her work in India a poor village where she had worked before, and was familiar to those who lived there.

“I had worked in the village before for the New York Times for a story on women and work, and people knew and trusted me. I know everyone in the village and they knew I was not going to be disrespectful.

“I wanted to make sure that it was something everyone can relate to so that it was about people not just about poverty.

“It is not only an issue about diseases that people are facing. For women, this is the time of day when women are often raped in India, Africa and Haiti – when [they] are most vulnerable and trying to find some privacy.”

The health issue was also dramatised for her in Haiti, where she arrived after Hurricane Matthew had devastated the country.

“It was kind of crazy timing. A huge hurricane came through and then you have contamination. One drop of cholera and it just sweeps through.”

She was particularly struck by the bayakou – latrine cleaners – whom she photographed for the project.

“In Haiti the people who are on the frontline are the bayakou who go into the latrines, which is this taboo subject.

“They can only work at night and people throw rocks at them even if they employ them. They are like the superheroes of Haiti. We also worked with a small NGO called Soil in Haiti, which brings composting toilets to slum areas and then collects them – like milkmen – to give to farmers to use as compost.”

And although the pictures are beautiful both as images and in their expression of a particular kind of vulnerability, Bruce adds that she was anxious to avoid the trap of exoticising the subject by emphasising its otherness to a western audience.

“For me it is not about making things exotic but to make them boring and important but still as beautiful as possible.”

Bruce has been back to the village in India since the images were first published – to a pleasant surprise.

“Since the pictures came out the Indian government has been to the village and they have built a community toilet. Who knows? Maybe they were going to come anyway but the the villagers are very happy.”

In 2011, almost two thirds (64%) of the world population relied on improved sanitation facilities, and since 1990 almost 1.9 billion people gained access to an improved sanitation facility.

However, by end of 2011 2.5 billion people lacked access to an improved sanitation facility. Of these, 761 million use public or shared sanitation facilities and another 693 million use facilities that do not meet minimum standards of hygiene.

Greatest progress has been made in East Asia, where sanitation coverage has increased from 27 in 1990 to 67% in 2011. This amounts to 626 million people gaining access to improved sanitation facilities over 21 year.

An "improved sanitation facility" has been defined as the one that hygienically separates human excreta from human contact.

On water, the fact sheet says:

89% of the world population used an improved drinking-water source by end of 2011.

55% enjoyed the convenience and associated health benefits of a piped supply on premises.

An estimated 768 million people did not use an improved source for drinking-water in 2011 and 185 million relied on surface water to meet their daily drinking-water needs.

An "improved drinking-water source" has been defined as the one that by the nature of its construction adequately protects the source from outside contamination, in particular from faecal matter.

On open defecation, the fact sheet says:

1 billion (15% of the world population) still practice open defecation. The majority (71%) of those without sanitation live in rural areas and 90% of all open defecation takes place in rural areas.

Globally, open defecation rates declined from 24% in 1990 to 15% in 2011. This signifies a drop of 250 million people to 1.04 billion in 2011.

Eastern Asia, South east Asia and the Latin America and Caribbean regions have seen a steady decline since the JMP’s earliest measurement describing conditions in 1990. In South Asia the population practicing open defecation peaked around 1995 – after which it declined. Only in sub-Saharan Africa is the number of people defecating in the open still increasing.

"Open defecation" is when human faeces are disposed of in the fields, forests, bushes, open bodies of water, beaches, and other open spaces.